The Killers, Imagine Dragons lead fight to #SaveRedRock, oppose home development
The fight to protect Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from a 5,000-plus home development comes to a head at 9 a.m. Wednesday before the Clark County Commission. More than 38,000 signatures have already been gathered in a petition demanding that Red Rock be protected from development and remain rural.
I’m proud to say that I’m one of the signatories who believes that Mother Nature should remain unspoiled. It is just too beautiful a piece of natural land to have destroyed by yet another massive luxury housing estate.
Las Vegas rockers The Killers, as we reported Monday, and Imagine Dragons, headliners Frankie Moreno, Claire Sinclair, Thunder From Down Under, Anthony Cools and Zowie Bowie, BMX riders and TV personalities T.J. Lavin and Ricardo Laguna, rock climber Alex Honnald, Dan Cox (“The Bachelor”) and 2016 Mrs. Nevada Marissa Castillo are among the people who have spoken out against the development.
I’m reliably told to not be surprised if some of these stars turn out for Wednesday’s hearing. Politicians who have sent letters of support and advocate for the cause include: Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, Congresswoman Dina Titus, State Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford, Senate Natural Resources Chairwoman Yvanna Cancela, Assembly Natural Resources Chairwoman Heidi Swank and State Assemblymen James Oscarson, Steve Yeager and Justin Watkins.
THE KILLERS’ LETTER
Here’s an exclusive look at the letter The Killers will deliver to County Commissioners in advance of Wednesday’s hearing to support the fight to #SaveRedRock:
As members of The Killers, we don’t usually get involved in local politics. But in 2011, when a developer proposed to build new homes for more than 14,000 residents on a property right in the middle of Red Rock Canyon, we spoke out against it.
Now that same developer is back asking County Commissioners once again to approve a sprawl development surrounded on three sides by Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
This development (the size of Boulder City) will eliminate the dark night sky in Red Rock and remove our natural canyon skyline. Also, constructing this many homes on fine gypsum sand (the site of the old gypsum plant) may cause a great deal of dust in Red Rock Canyon.
Finally, this much building has projected more than 20 years of construction traffic on our scenic highway, threatening bicyclists and impairing the amazing views from the Red Rock Scenic Loop.
Every week that we aren’t on tour, one or more members of our band is hiking Turtlehead Peak, rock climbing at Red Rock or visiting Bonnie Springs. We grew up in Las Vegas and have spent countless hours on trails out here. Who doesn’t love Red Rock?
We can’t imagine anyone not wanting to stop this destruction of one of our community’s most special places. Let’s not allow yet another developer to tear down another piece of our history and culture.
We encourage our fans to join us in speaking out against this unwise proposal and ask County Commissioners to preserve Red Rock for future generations.
— Brandon Flowers, Ronnie Vannucci, Mark Stoermer, Dave Keuning
Website: SaveRedRock.com.